Affirmative action attitudes in higher education: A multiethnic extension of a three-factor model
Smith, William A.
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/20275
Description
Title
Affirmative action attitudes in higher education: A multiethnic extension of a three-factor model
Author(s)
Smith, William A.
Issue Date
1996
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Trent, William T.
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Sociology of
Education, Educational Psychology
Education, Higher
Language
eng
Abstract
Building on recent social psychological theory and research, this study investigates growing opposition to traditional race-targeted affirmative action policies in higher education. Analysis of panel data from a multi-ethnic sample of 296 college students examined race/ethnic differences in affirmative action attitudes and the role of Self-Interest, Stratification Beliefs, Racial Affect, and ethnic/cultural orientations. First, racial differences were found in opposition to affirmative action with Whites being the most oppositional and Blacks being the most supportive. Second, several cross-ethnic differences emerged on the race-related predictors. Third, hierarchial regression of the Three-Factor Model found Stratification Beliefs to be the strongest predictor of affirmative action attitudes among European- and Asian-Americans while symbolic racism was the strongest predictor for Latinos and African-Americans. Finally, with the exception of language preference among Latinos, other ethnic and cultural orientations failed to account for significant variance in affirmative action attitudes among non-Whites. Findings go beyond existing theoretical and empirical literature which has focused primarily on European-American affirmative action attitudes for a comparative analysis with African-American and other non-White student groups. This study supports the growing need to clarify the social context and cross-ethnic dynamics of emerging debates over affirmative action policies in higher education. Understanding affirmative action attitudes is critical as America's institutions becomes more ethnically, culturally, and socially diverse.
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